The goal of Operation Walk Boston is to improve the quality of life for impoverished patients through the direct and indirect delivery of orthopedic health care.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Operation Walk 2011 - Day 1, March 24

Day 1 of the Operation Walk 2011 Mission began today with an early breakfast and arrival to the hospital by 6:30 AM. Despite what we thought was an early start, every patient scheduled for surgery the whole week was already there, awaiting our arrival to start the preoperative clinic! Many patients had traveled long distances; one patient told me that she had started her journey yesterday evening and traveled all through the night from her small town in the center of the country to be here on time. This struck me as an indicator of how important the treatment we were about to provide was to all the faces sitting in that waiting room -- many arrived limping in pain or were relegated to a wheelchair because of their symptoms. All of us are eager to see them walk out of the hospital by the end of the week under their own power.

In the preoperative clinic, all patients to be operated on for the week were evaluated by the operating surgeon, anesthesia staff, and physical therapists. Any additional testing or imaging studies were determined, and we finally were able to put a face to the many charts and xrays we have been reviewing over the last many months. The clinic was seamless -- largely due to a veritable army of Dominicam Medical student volunteers. Their generous assistance in doing everything from translating to transport, clinical assisting to organizing and obtaining charts was invaluable. There are upwards of 70 (!) medical students participating in Operation Walk this year, a testament to the enthusiasm that has been generated here in Santo Domingo.

(above, one patient is examined by four of our five attending arthroplasty specialists, Drs. Thornhill, Scott, Burke, and Mattingly.)

Following preoperative clinic, the surgical team met for Grand rounds. All patient charts were presented to the group, and a collaborative review of the xrays by the 5 participating Joint Replacement Specialists was undertaken. Operative plans were made, and the fine points of the proposed treatment were elucidated. This event is an annual highlight, as the educational value of learning from the years of experience of our attending surgeons is tremendous. The event is attended not only by Op Walk team members, but also by Dominican students and staff.

After a quick lunch, the operating began. Proceeding right on schedule, 8 joint replacements in 7 patients (one patient had both knees replaced) were done in one afternoon. Residents from the Harvard Orthopadics program (including myself) had the opportunity to work one-on-one with our attending arthroplasty staff, which was again a great learning experience. We all look forward to the whole week of collaboration, learning, and most importantly, care of our patients.

1 comment:

Dr. May, I'm one of the many Med Students who are volunteering in OP Walk this year, and what an amazing experience it has been so far! My love for medicine and the continued care for our patients grows exponentially every day! What an amazing team of professionals you guys have assembled for this! Everybody, from the nurses, to the the therapists to the amazing work of the surgeons has made this week an epic success. I am humbled and thankful to have been selected to participate as a volunteer and even though I'm graduating from Medical School this year I make a promise to comeback and volunteer for next year's Operative if you guys will have me. Thank you so much for again showing me why I started a career in Medicine to begin with. Best of luck to everybody and let's keep making the best out of the rest of the time we have left here! God Bless.

Brigham and Women's Hospital

About Us

Operation Walk Boston, established in 2007 by Dr. Thomas Thornhill and Dr. Richard Scott from the Department of Orthopedics at Brigham and Women's Hospital, strives to improve the quality of life for impoverished patients through the direct and indirect delivery of orthopedic health care. We accomplish this directly by reducing the disabling burden of advanced joint disease and trauma through orthopedic surgical intervention, and indirectly through the education of local orthopedic staff and other healthcare providers.

Specific Goals of Operation Walk Boston:

* Provide free joint replacement and rehabilitation services to individuals around the world who would otherwise be unable to afford or receive such care.

* Educate local health care providers in delivery of such surgical procedures and post-operative rehabilitation.

Our volunteer team is comprised of healthcare professionals from Brigham and Women's Hospital and other Boston area hospitals including surgeons, anesthesiologists, medical physicians, nurses, physician assistants, physical therapists and other critical operating room personnel.

Team Operation Walk Boston

Team members have made trips in 2008 and 2009 to the Dominican Republic as part of Operation Walk Boston.

How You Can Help

Operation Walk Boston is planning to return to the Dominican Republic for a third mission in March 2010. We ask for your support in making this trip a reality. Your support will help us in our mission to relieve the physical, emotional, and social suffering caused by the severe disabling effects of degenerative joint disease and trauma.

Every mission requires compassionate volunteers who receive no financial compensation for their time and skills. We are fortunate to be associated with dedicated medical equipment suppliers that have donated the costly instruments and joint implants. Yet even with this generous donation, our last mission to the Dominican Republic cost nearly $100,000 more than the donated equipment.

By making a donation you will help us to fund our trip to the Dominican Republic and the many needs associated with this trip including travel, accommodations, delivery of cargo, and other related expenses.